The Devil's in the Details
by krystalMage
Summary: When Lily accepts a position at Malfoy & Zabini, she thought she'd prove her mettle. What she doesn't count upon is having a crush on her boss and starting a bitter feud with her boss' son. Alternate Reality. One-sided Lily X Draco. Scorpius X Lily.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing**: Scorpius Malfoy X Lily Luna Potter, One-sided Lily X Draco

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: All characters with the exception of OCs belong to JK Rowling. I do not own them. I also do not own the TV series Suits, which provides heavy inspiration for this story.

**Author's Note:** Right, another story. I had thought I would sit on this one and not post it right away, but usually what happens when I do that is I forget about it. In the interest of keeping this story alive and give it a fighting chance, I have decided to publish it. Updates will be sporadic because I am committed to finishing **Black Velvet** before I start new projects so this will definitely will the final new story I will be posting before I finish **Black Velvet**.

I want to thank everyone reviewing for **Black Velvet**. You all encourage me and I really appreciate it.

I want to draw attention to the fact that Lily is twenty years old in this story. Everybody got that? Good. On with the story!

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><p><strong>The Devil's in the Details<strong>

**Chapter One**

Blaise Zabini clenched his fists; the stiffness of his spine attesting to the pandemonium exploding in the private suite commissioned for the purpose of dealing with the firm's exclusive and sometimes, more troublesome clients. The pitch of the voices inside the suite grew shrill, with no sign of abating. Blaise clicked his tongue and walked out of the room. Nobody noticed him leave.

He strode down the hall and rapped his knuckles on a door before opening it and stepping into the room. Blaise arched an eyebrow at the man sitting behind a huge dark wood table.

The fire cast a glow on one side of his face, illuminating high cheekbones, a straight nose, hair more silver than blonde now. He looked up and smiled ruefully at the troubled expression upon the face of his friend and business partner. "Trouble in paradise, Blaise?"

"If you knew there would be trouble, why are you sitting here? You should be out there, fixing this!" Blaise put his hand down on the table, bursting with indignation when Draco did nothing more than chuckle.

He stood and walked out from behind the table. Stopping in front of a gilded mirror, he minutely adjusted his cravat and smoothed down his robes. "Blaise, the business of giving advice is a tricky one. You have to be moderate with it and only speak at the opportune moment. Speak too soon, and lose advantage. Speak too late and lose the battle."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "If you're done preening, perhaps we can go and stop Pucey before he ruins everything we've worked for the past three months and ends his contract with us."

Draco scoffed. "He's not going anywhere." Turning away from the mirror, he glanced at the clock before making his way out of the room and down the hall to the private chamber where the junior associates of the firm were attempting to keep lid on the Pucey crisis.

Adrian Pucey was contesting the final will of his late father. The late Mr. Pucey had made provisions for his Squib nephew in his will, making sure he would be provided for. The will also included a statement detailing the reasons why he'd been estranged from his only son over the issue. On condition of acquiescence and acceptance of Pucey Senior's wishes, Adrian Pucey would stand to inherit a sizeable amount of gold as well as a town house in Wizarding London.

However, the bulk of the money would go to various charities and institutions Pucey had invested in after the war.

Draco manoeuvred the provisions of the will to minimise the amounts sent to the charities but keep the endowment to Mr. Pucey's Squib nephew.

The junior associates breathed a collective sigh of relief as Draco sauntered into the room.

Draco Malfoy had a reputation for being ruthless, tenacious and for being a winner.

"What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?" He asked casually, taking note of the haggard features of his team around the table.

"Mr. Pucey is not satisfied with the provisions of the will. He wants changes and he refuses to sign until those changes are actioned." An associate spoke up, sliding a thick roll of parchment before him.

Draco gave it a cursory glance.

Adrian Pucey sat back in his chair. His dark green robes were complemented by a silver pin on his lapel. He smirked as he watched Draco perch on a corner of the heavy rosewood table. He knew he held a position of power. The firm needed his business. They would turn this around if it was the last thing they did. Even if refusing Timothy the money bequeathed to him would be a show of bad faith, who would argue against it? Throwing away Wizarding gold on a Squib was a fool's venture and nobody would support this initiative. He was in the clear.

No doubt Draco would realise it and make it happen for him.

"Despite my attempts to make him understand, the Squib just won't listen. I've made him an offer. He refuses to accept. It's a show of bad faith on his part." Adrian curled his lip. He'd dropped the hint. Now it was up to Malfoy to recognise it for what it was and make it so everyone went home happy and most importantly, the Squib didn't get what he had no right to.

"Bad faith?" Draco arched an eyebrow. "Mr. Grant signed on this deal, accepting the bequest left to him and pledging his non-involvement in your business. He kept his side of the deal to stay out of your way."

Adrian shrugged.

Draco smirked. "Let me get this straight. We struck a deal, allowing you to control the money given to the Muggle charities but keeping the bequest to Mr. Timothy Grant. Now, you want me to turn it on its head where not only do you have control over the donations made to the charities specified by your late father in his will but you also reduce the inheritance left to your cousin by a considerable degree. Am I right?"

Adrian lifted a shoulder nonchalantly. "It's what I want."

Draco stood. "It can't be done."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because this firm does not operate in bad faith."

Adrian sneered as he stood. "I see what this is. You won't do what I ask but you're willing to give that Squib something that doesn't belong to him, which should _never_ belong to him!"

"Oh, but it does." Draco cut in smoothly. He smiled. "The squib has every right to it since it was bequeathed to him by your father in his will."

"A will made under influence of a Confunding Charm." Adrian replied angrily.

Draco raised his eyebrow. "Do you have even a shred of evidence to support your claim?"

Adrian stepped close to Draco, aiming to intimidate him with his greater height. "Now you listen to me Malfoy. I do not give a rat's ass about evidence. All I know is my father's gold is not going to a man who can't even justify his right to be called family. I want him tossed out and you are going to do it. So why don't you take your pansy ass and rework this deal, or else I walk out of here and find another firm to do it."

Draco scoffed and walked past Adrian to settle into a majestic armchair by the fire. "First of all, if you think any firm in this country will be willing to touch this deal after your show of duplicity, you are sorely mistaken. Second, by winning Mr. Grant's agreement with the deal, we have already fulfilled our responsibility and having done so," He reached into his robes and pulled out a small square of parchment with the Gringotts emblem on it, "We have also been paid for our efforts. Now, the ball's in your court. You can scrape together what's left of your dignity and sign or you can storm out of here and have every firm in the country think you don't know how to handle your business."

Adrian bristled and clenched his fists.

Across the room, Blake crossed his arms over his chest and allowed an infinitesimal smile across his lips.

Draco smirked in smug satisfaction. He pushed the thick scroll of parchment towards Adrian.

X

Golden wine sparkled in delicate glass flutes. Finely crafted morsels of food were carefully arranged upon huge silver platters circulated throughout the room by waiters elegantly dressed in black trousers, crisp white shirts and black vests. Hair slicked back or tied up; they glided between the mingling guests, providing a steady stream of wine despite it being the middle of the day, which kept the conversation flowing like water.

Lily pouted. She leaned against the bar, watching the majority of her classmates surround her father and brother. Everyone wanted a piece of Harry Potter. It wasn't enough to just admire him from afar. They had to know every last detail about him. What he liked to do on the days when he wasn't investigating crime and defeating dark wizards. Wasn't he proud of his sons, following in his footsteps? Wasn't he bothered by the regressive wave which threatened to revert to the pureblood dogma? Was he still open to mentoring rookies in the Auror department? What was his favourite colour? Did he know he was still on the Witch Weekly Sexiest Wizard Alive List? Was it true women still propositioned him?

She rolled her eyes at the last one. Her father had always been charismatic. His appeal only grew with age. Sure, it was embarrassing watching her friends blush and stammer in front of him, but she couldn't deny some part of her was proud of the fact he was still attracting covetous glances from girls her age.

At twenty years old, she could accept her parents were also sexual beings. It no longer made her want to puke as it had in school. She tossed her hair back over her shoulder.

"Compliments of the gentleman." The bar tender placed a drink in front of her with an amused smile.

Lily glanced up at him. "What gentleman?"

The bartender nodded towards the back of the room.

Lily turned slowly. A man stood at the far end of the room. He wore dark robes, had wavy brown hair meticulously swept over half of his face stylishly. He was lean and held himself with confidence. He stood against the wall, with his arm around a buxom blonde girl she recognised from her Ethics class. He met her eyes and smiled, raising his glass at her.

She turned around. Handsome as he was, she wasn't interested. Leaving the drink untouched, she moved away. As she made her way to the exit, she quietly stole a flute off a server's tray and brought it to her lips. Tipping the flute against her lips, she sipped slowly, allowing the tart flavour of the wine spread across the roof of her mouth. Sending one last glance at the crowd circling her father, she quietly gathered her coat and stepped out of the gala.

Graduation was supposed to be a joyous occasion focussed upon the opportunities of the future, but all this morning had done was to remind her that her father's shadow was indeed far-reaching and formidable still. She had thought pursuing Wizarding Law might set her apart from the rest of her family. None of her cousins had explored the avenues of Wizarding Law.

James had followed his ambition of being a Quidditch player. Albus ended his stint as an Auror-in-training last year. He was now a full-fledged member of the Law Enforcement department.

She had flirted with Healing school, Business, Curse-breaking and Wizarding Architecture before zoning in upon Wizarding Law and deciding this was where she'd make her fortune. As Lily Potter, there wasn't a firm in all of Wizarding Britain that wouldn't hire her. But, she was wary of the fanfare greeting her in the days leading up to Graduation. She'd had feelers sent to her from all the big firms in London. Everybody wanted to hire Harry Potter's daughter.

She made her way to the hotel lobby and was about to head out the doors when the man from the gala appeared before her. She stepped back, startled.

The man smiled. "If I had known you'd run, I would have tried something else."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Well, hope it teaches you not to be so cliché."

He grinned. "Point taken. May I interest you in another drink, perhaps someplace more private?"

She suppressed the desire to roll her eyes. Honestly if she didn't want to talk to him in there, what made him think she'd want to here? Letting her breath go slowly, she looked around for an escape.

X

Draco rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "Why do you drag me to these things anyway?"

Pansy stacked the papers with the applicant details in front of her in precise groups. "Because you're a senior partner. You get to choose your associates. If you see how difficult it is to find decent people, you won't be inclined to fire them easily." She smiled at him and gestured towards the room he'd be conducting interviews in.

He groaned. "This can't get over soon enough." He shut the door of the room behind him.

Pansy ran her finger down the list. Her assistant opened the door to let the first applicant in. "Callista Warrington?"

Callista smiled widely. She had wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a sharp skirt suit under her open black robe.

Pansy glanced at her and gestured to the door to the inner room. "Mr. Malfoy will see you now." Tart, she screamed inside her head.

Pansy watched with some amusement as Draco led Callista out after a few minutes. The smile on his face was fading and his jaw was tense. As Callista sashayed out, hips rolling and hair bouncing, Draco glanced at Pansy.

"Pansy. This isn't going to work."

Pansy smirked. "What's the matter? Did she flirt with you?"

Draco scoffed. "If girls at Hogwarts had been like her when I was there, it would not have been half as unpleasant is all I'm going to say."

Pansy sniggered.

Draco pressed his palms together. "We need a system."

"What do you suggest?"

"Okay, let's streamline the whole process. You give them a hard time about letting them in and if they can't come up with something funny or amusing to say, let me know. However, if they do find something interesting to say, wink at me. It'll make this go faster."

Pansy fixed him with a look. "Are you looking for a clown Draco?"

Draco shrugged. "They're all clowns. But if they can make me laugh at it, it'll make the torture a little more bearable."

X

Lily groaned as Sebastian refused to budge from her side. Apart from coming out and brushing him off directly, she didn't see a way out of it. Steeling her nerve, she was about to cut him down when she noticed a signboard set up outside a suite of rooms.

MALFOY & ZABINI

Hogwarts Law Interviews

Interviews? Law Interviews? Why didn't she know of this? She continued to stare at the velvet-backed board.

Sebastian's hand on her elbow broke her out of her reverie. She squirmed away from him.

Straightening, she looked at him. "You know, I hate to cut this short, especially since we were having so much fun but I have an interview." Brushing past him, she picked up the pace and quickly slipped into the suite.

As she looked around, she noticed a number of her classmates from Hogwarts Law School. Glancing this way and that, she noticed most of the applicants waiting to be interviewed looking nervous, some were fanning themselves with their hands.

"Moira Davis?" Pansy called out.

Lily stepped forward curiously. She'd never seen so many applicants on one place before. She'd received offers on a silver platter. Nobody had even asked her for an interview. It had been implied if Lily Potter wanted to join, then room would be made for her.

Her nerves tingled as the sharply dressed lady in business suit and a chic bob addressed the room once more, "Moira Davis, are you here?"

Unthinking, Lily stepped forward.

Pansy glanced at her sharply, taking in the vibrant red hair, the flushed cheeks and hazel eyes. "Ms Davis, you are late. Can you give me one reason why I should let you into the interview?"

Lily blinked. "Uh..I'm just trying to get away from this guy. He won't leave me alone. I don't actually care if you let me in or not." She blushed as she realized what she'd just said; not knowing her curious mixture of truth and lies would become her ticket out of the safety net provided by her father's name.

Pansy considered the girl. She was stunning, but looked completely out of sorts. Her breathing was uneven. She kept looking around like she'd never been to an interview before and expected something to jump out and bite her any minute.

"Right. Mr. Malfoy will see you now."

Lily gawked at her. "What?"

The door opened and Draco stepped out. He looked at Pansy with eyebrows raised.

Pansy turned to him and smiled. "Ms Moira Davis." As Lily walked past her in confusion, Pansy looked at Draco and winked.

X

Please comment.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the encouragement **Lanasaurus, harshi, sirensings090, twigsza**, and the **two Anonymous Guest** reviewers. Keep it coming! Also, thanks everybody who put this story on their Faves and Alerts. I have really enjoyed writing this story and I hope you like what's in store next.

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><p><strong>The Devil's in the Details<strong>

**Chapter Two**

Lily _tried_ not to stare. The gala she'd left only minutes ago had been littered with handsome men cutting a dashing figure but she'd never seen a man dressed as sharply as Draco Malfoy. She blinked. Well, this _was_ embarrassing. Hadn't she just spent most of the afternoon mocking her father's "groupies"? And here she was, doing the same thing herself. How pathetic. She straightened her shoulders and confidently took the chair he'd gestured toward. There would be time to appreciate the man's style later. Right now, she had to make a good impression despite the fact she'd basically gate-crashed the interview.

Draco arched an eyebrow and shut the door behind him. Considering the girl who'd walked in before him, he made his way around the large table and sat back in the leather chair. He rested his chin upon his fist and stared at her, sitting before him. Glancing down on his desk for a moment, he read her name off the piece of parchment laid flat for him.

Moira Davis.

He brought his eyebrows together. Something didn't fit. As far as he recalled, the Moira Davis on his list was supposed to be the only daughter of one of his former House mates.

Tracey Davis had joined the Ministry of Magic as an Unspeakable two years after the Second war had ended. She had never married but she had adopted an orphan from Phoenix House and he was fairly certain the child didn't have the vibrant, fiery auburn hair falling around this girl's face. There weren't any other Davises he was aware of and as Senior Managing partner of one of the most successful Wizarding Law firms in England, little escaped his notice.

Casting an eye over her critically, he noticed her large hazel eyes, cream-and-peaches complexion, and open smile. Simply put, she was beautiful and the slightly arrogant tilt of her lips told him she was well aware of it. On a man, the expression would look cocky and smug. Somehow, she managed to make it work for her and make it look attractive. She wore a very tasteful black cocktail dress, far too fancy for an interview though.

"Who are you?" He asked bluntly. Stunning or not, he didn't appreciate being made a fool of. By pretending to be someone she was not, this was exactly what this girl was doing.

Lily took a deep breath and bit her lip, much in the manner of someone caught doing something naughty. "My name is Lily Potter. I graduated from Hogwarts Law School with honours this year."

Draco clenched his fist tighter. His spine stiffened the minute he'd heard her name. A _Potter_. It explained the hair but it did not explain her presence before him. What the devil was a Potter doing in this suite?

Lily watched him carefully but was surprised and more than slightly impressed to find no reaction. The lack of any response on his face raised his esteem in her eyes instantaneously.

"Indeed." He turned up a corner of his mouth. "Well, excuse my bluntness but what are you doing here Miss Potter? You were not extended an invitation to attend these proceedings."

"Your sign outside welcomes all graduates from Hogwarts Law School." She replied immediately and suppressed a shiver as his steely grey eyes narrowed slightly. Apparently, he did not agree with her point.

He reached out and minutely adjusted the sheet of parchment sitting in front of him. "I will be frank with you Miss Potter. There is a reason why my firm holds interviews for new associates here at Balthazar's, instead of queuing up at your campus like all the other law firms you've heard about." He stood and circled around the table.

Lily watched him warily. Her meticulous nature had her recalling every scrap of information she had read or gathered from conversations overheard about him. Truth be told, not much was written about him in the papers. Draco Malfoy had, very cleverly found a way to avoid being in the news.

He stopped at the window, overlooking the hotel's meticulously managed gardens. "Our clients are very exclusive. They are accustomed to a certain lifestyle and they expect nothing but the best from their firm. We are paid outrageous sums to ensure our clients' will is done. So you can imagine, the people who work here are just as exclusive. Each person in this firm has been handpicked. Every employee is special. The hours are long. The work is complicated. There will be times when tough decisions have to be made. So, tell me, Miss Potter, why should I allow you to remain here, when it is _obvious_ to me you do not belong?"

Lily drew a deep breath. "You're looking for special people for work for you, Mr. Malfoy. I'm the best. I am one of the top three scorers this year. The hard work and the long hours don't rattle me. I thrive on challenges."

Draco shrugged. "If you're so brilliant, why not work for the Patils? They are the biggest firm in Wizarding Britain. And for that matter, why don't you join your aunt's office at the Ministry. Surely, working with the Head of the DMLE, should be challenging enough?"

She pursed her lips.

Draco narrowed his eyes. Obviously, he'd hit a nerve. He suppressed a smirk. Getting under people's skin was always amusing.

"You're right." She shrugged. "I can choose to work anywhere I wish. They'll welcome Harry Potter's daughter with open arms."

_Ahhh_. Therein lies the problem. Draco perched on the table and crossed his arms over his chest.

She shook her head, staring down at her hands, folded in her lap. "But I don't want to simply be Harry Potter's daughter. I want to be _me_. I want to be recognised for who _I_ am." She sighed. "I want to be more than my name. I want to be recognised and celebrated for the things I do, not for what my father has already done, and is still doing."

She looked up at him hopefully. He, of all people, should understand her burning desire to step out of her father's shadow.

Draco watched her shrewdly, trying to size her up. She wasn't lying. And despite his initial decision to show her the door, he found himself considering hiring her. Of course, if he took her as his associate, sooner or later, he ran the risk of falling into Saint Potter's orbit; a circumstance he was not keen upon. But then again, hiring Potter's daughter was guaranteed to annoy the unflappable Head Auror no end. What would Potter's reaction be when he found his precious daughter working for the very people he could never hope to catch because their lawyer was unbeatable?

Oh, the possibilities were endless. Her claim to be the best could be confirmed easily.

He smirked suddenly. "Do you think you could handle the pressure?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. I told you – I'm the best you'll find."

Draco lifted one corner of his mouth. "So you claim. But, outside that door are some of the best law students to graduate this year. Why should I hire you instead of one of them?"

Lily lifted one shoulder nonchalantly. "You could. I guess, it's nice to know how the other half live. You can definitely hire someone else, and then regret it when they let you down."

Draco laughed at this. "And you won't?"

Lily stood. "I know I won't."

Draco remained where he was, watching her for a few moments. Finally, after what seemed to Lily like an eternity, he straightened and walked to the door. Sticking his neck out, he beckoned to Pansy.

Pansy hurried to the door. "Yes, Draco?"

He leaned close to her. "Send the others home Pansy. I've found my associate."

X

Lily took a deep breath. She straightened her shoulders and smoothed her skirt down. She'd taken over an hour to get dressed this morning. After discarding at least seven outfits, she'd finally settled upon a dark navy pencil skirt with a pristine white shirt and fitted navy blazer. Her hair was in a neat knot at the back of her head. She chose not to wear any make-up save for a light gloss on her lips.

She had dolled up for the gala and ended up attending an interview. This time, she put only the cards she wanted noticed on the table.

"Doors won't open themselves." An amused voice spoke up behind her.

Lily jumped. She glanced behind her to see the lady with the short black hair and bright red lips from her interview smile widely at her. She smiled hesitantly. "Hi."

Pansy grinned and walked past her, pushing against the large wooden doors leading into a chandelier lit lobby. "Hi doll. Hurry up now, you don't want to be late on your first day."

Lily followed her quickly, gaping at the massive hallway. "But I'm not late."

She didn't dare look away from Pansy for too long. The hall was paved with gleaming white marble with three large chandeliers. The light of thousands of coruscating crystals danced about in the hall. If she got left behind here, it would take forever to figure out which of the gleaming doors she had to try before she found her way again.

Pansy laughed. "If you're going to survive being Draco's associate, you need to be here one hour before him, so you can read up the instructions he left for you the night before and have an answer ready for any questions he might toss your way." She navigated the way effortlessly. Stopping at a golden elevator, she stepped in and pressed the button for the fourth floor as soon as Lily stepped inside.

"Got it."

Pansy continued. "You should also find out which cases he's working on currently and do your homework on them."

Lily nodded. "Got it."

"Draco gets the difficult clients because he's such a charmer. But don't let it fool you. The charm wears off the minute he steps into his domain. Once in his office, the kid gloves come off and the claws come out – never forget that."

"Understood."

Pansy quirked an eyebrow up. "And find out which mistress he's currently on the outs with. Comes in handy from time to time."

Lily nodded. "Got it – wait, _what_?"

Pansy laughed uproariously. "I like you, doll. You and I – we'll get along just fine."

X

Please comment.

Next chapter – Draco hands Lily her first case. Scorpius makes his appearance and Harry finds out where his darling daughter is working.


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